The holiday countdown is on. As of today, there are only 62 days until Thanksgiving and 95 until Christmas. Besides all the celebrations, parties, and festivities, the holidays also mean house guests. Whether it is an overnight visit from a friend or an extended stay from out of town family members, it is important to have a welcoming, comfortable, and relaxing area for your guests to stay in. Here are 10 essentials that will transform a basic guest room into a luxurious, comfortable, and relaxing retreat for your holiday visitors and make you the best host in the world!
- Amenity basket – This little basket of goodies will mean the world to your guests; especially if they have forgotten any toiletries at home. I place the basket on top of the bed, in plain sight, so people know they can, and should use, whatever they need.
I put my extra throw blanket on top of this rocking chair so it can be used for decor or added warmth. - Extra blankets – Your idea of a comfortable house temperature may not be the same as your guests. A soft snugly throw blanket is a great extra layer of warmth at night or the perfect cuddle accessory for reading a book or taking a nap.
This IKEA PAX wardrobe doubles as a great storage system I keep the fan and some miscellaneous exercise equipment in here for my guests. - Fan – Conversely, maybe your guest prefers a cooler temperature. A floor fan helps visitors stay comfortable without having to adjust the temperature of the entire house. Plus, I feel most guest rooms are stuffy because of lack of use. Turning on a fan helps circulate the stale air and makes the room much more enjoyable.
I had this beautiful Wi-fi password sign made from a local graphic artist. - WiFi password – We are on our phones, tablets, and laptops constantly and internet accessibility is a must. I have this sign in our guest room, made by a local graphic artist, so all our visitors can easily connect to our WiFi.
- Bottled Water– Staying hydrated is so important, especially when traveling. It is a great idea to have a few bottles of water available in the room for your guests. Be sure the water bottles are easily accessible for your visitors, especially if they get thirsty in the middle of night or want to take a bottle to go while they are out and about.
One of the trials of decorating my guest room was that the space did not have a closet. To solve this storage problem, I bought the uber functional PAX wardrobe from IKEA. There are so many awesome features to this furniture piece; top and bottom shelving, plenty of hanging closet space, and a mirrored 3rd door that acts as a dresser. I also use the IKEA SKUBB hanging organizer to make the wardrobe even more space efficient. - Hangars & Closet Space – It is a nice gesture to let your guests know they have the option to unpack their suitcases. And if holiday parties and cold weather are part of the vacation itinerary, your visitors will more than likely will have formal clothes or bulky winter jackets to hang up. Set aside some space in the closet with a handful of empty hangars so they can feel free to use that cleared space.
I love the multi functionality of this wall shelf. Not only can it display a variety of room decor on the top portion, the bottom hooks make it easy for my guests to hang up coats, sweaters, keys, hats, umbrellas any other accessory they have brought from home. - House Key – This is an often overlooked guest room essential. A house key gives your guests the ability to come and go from your house as they please, without having to bother you every time they step out. Letting your guests borrow a spare key tells them, mi casa es su casa.
- Fresh Flowers – This small gesture speaks loudly to your house guests. Not only do the flowers brighten and freshen the room, they can make your visitors happy and feel taken care of.
- Chargers– Chargers are one of the most commonly forgotten travel accessories but one of the most important. Having a charging cord plugged in and ready for use will help put your tech savvy traveler at ease.
- Reading Material – I like to place a current magazine or two on the nightstand for my guests. It is a little detail that I feel encourages them to slow down, relax, and read at their leisure while in my home.
The difference between good hospitality and great hospitality is the attention to details. All these essentials are simple and easy but they will make your house guests feel decadently comfortable, relaxed, and wanted. They will enjoy their time visiting your house and you will feel happy knowing you made your guests feel loved, appreciated, and taken care of.
